Used 2006 Ford Focus Consumer Reviews
Used Focus for sale
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Focus on bang for buck
bliston1, 04/09/2011
2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
37 of 38 people found this review helpful
First real car that i've purchased coming from driving a dodge neon that i put way to much time into keeping running been driving this car since 01/08 and it's been doing great, now i've been reading through the reviews saying that it's bad in the snow, and i'm going to go out on a limb and just say they must have bald tires or be horrible drivers. living in Logan Utah i have yet to have any problems through out the 3 winters that i've had this car, and I've got 40k+ on the all weather tires. Also i'm 6'1 and fit very well into the car with plenty of room to spare may be a bit low to get into but not that bad,
Noticed no recent reviews- thought i'd add mine!
Justin, 02/04/2016
2006 Ford Focus ZXW SES 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
77 of 81 people found this review helpful
I've owned this vehicle for a year now and bought it used on craigslist and got a great deal on it. The previous owners had all records and maintained it really well with the exception of wearing out the leather in the backseat with their children's car seats a little. I've put around 10k miles on it and am currently at 135k. I've driven it from Atlanta to Key West and all over the mountains of north Georgia and I've loved every second of it. I've always been into the appearance of this model and in shopping around noted the recurring problems of interior plastic parts breaking (something mine doesn't suffer from) and electrical/wiring issues. One thing I wish I had been aware of beFORE purchasing this wagon was the issues with the wiring harness in the rear trunk hatch. It's a shame that Ford has not recalled effected models since it seems to be a widespread issue. I managed to rewire mine and all seems well, but what a nightmare it was to do. Advise to anyone thinking about buying one, check and see under the rubber boot that houses the harness to see if the wires have already been replaced... it's likely it will need to happen at some point, so be aware of that fact. On long rides I've been happy with the comfort and level in which you can adjust the drivers seating position. Some complain they find the car uncomfortable, but as the driver I don't. I have had my significant other tell me that on long rides it wasn't super great with comfort for the passenger. For every amenity you get with the price range these sell for, for model anyway, it's made me feel a little spoiled. Heated seats, leather (that has held up incredibly well for a now 10 year old car), heated and electric mirrors, etc... all great features. I have also seen in many of these that the coating and labeling on the interior knobs wears off. Mine doesn't suffer from this issue either, and every time I've cleaned it I've done taking care to make sure it stays that way. The cargo space is ample, and got even more so once I realized that the backseats fold all the way down after lifting up the bottom of the seat first. My only issue with this the one time I've needed it was that after remaining in that position for a few days it left some pretty gnarly marks in the leather from where the backs of the seats rested while pulled down - in the end however, it came out and all was well. Also it should be noted that partly why the previous owners opted to sell the car was due to the fact that the back seats don't have headrests. Not having children and rarely carrying more than two adults, this hasn't been an issue for me. Odd that a wagon would not have this included. Gas mileage has been better than advertised despite most of my day to day driving being inner city driving. Very pleased with that. This reminds me however that when I purchased the car the caveat was a new thermostat needed. I took it to my mechanic who then informed and showed me the lengths that Ford went to to save space (and weight) to achieve the fuel economy it does. Some repairs are a bit more complicated (and time consuming) than they might otherwise be with other models. In my case, several other parts had to be removed to get to the thermostat adding to the labor costs. Overall, I'm very happy with this car and hope I continue to be as it ages. I intend to keep it around for a while... definitely happy.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
2006 Ford Focus for sale near you
3 of 47 listings
- ZX4 S SedanMSRP: $6,39986 mi away
- ZXW SE WagonMSRP: $4,250125 mi away
- ZX5 SES 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $5,995201 mi away
See all 47 listings
First American car in 22 years
M. Koltz, 05/02/2006
2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SES 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
17 of 17 people found this review helpful
I have owned and driven Toyotas for the last 22 years and experienced good value and quality. This Ford product is an outstanding value. The drive and feel are exceptional. Gas mileage is above average. I love the styling of the interior and exterior of the vehicle. The styling moved me to Ford along with the fair acquisition cost.
Fun, Fast but squeaky
nickmbb, 10/25/2011
2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
48 of 51 people found this review helpful
Its a nice fast city run-around car. Great on gas and is fun to drive. On the highway, it drives smooth at high speeds. Had it for 6 years now and haven't had any mechanical problems (except that squeak).
Good dependable car
mike, 08/19/2017
2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful
Currently have 290,000 miles on my car that I bought used in 2007. I average between 28mpg winter and 31mpg summer. It was an Ebay rebuilt wreck purchased from pictures only and I have been happy with this car for the past 10 years. Original engine and transmission although the engine has been making a idle ticking noise for the past 100,000 miles. Oil changes every 5,000 miles with cheap oil, whatever is on sale. Alternator went out at 250,000 miles, fairly cheap to repair yourself but difficult to remove. Center console broke but repaired broken plastic stops with epoxy putty. Rear driver wheel bearing go out at 100,000 and every 50,000 after that. Finally had the rear passenger wheel bearing go at 200,000. Radiator replaced at 60,000 because screws came loose on the fan which then cut into the radiator, possibly from the rebuilt front end from the wreck. Easy to replace the radiator yourself as with most cars. Major annoyance is the a/c is intermittent because the a/c clutch needs repaired but that didn't happen until 250,000 miles. Also, the air deflector switch gets stuck. The floor flap door gets stuck in the open/close position. The switch seems to be a common issue so watch for that issue. Easy to replace but it will break again if you don't fix the sticky flap. Seat fabric is holding up well even after so many miles. Has some squeaks and road noise that you would expect from an entry level car. Good power and good reliability.
- Technology
- Performance
- Comfort
- Reliability
Nice car!
mndriver4, 11/05/2012
2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
37 of 41 people found this review helpful
I really enjoy driving this car, It's nimble and quick, visibility is the best, nicest economy car I'v ever driven. I get 32 to 34 MPG for my average with about 75% hwy. I like the way you sit high, I'ts been vary reliable 110K miles on it now. I'ts not a refined luxury car but I find it more fun to drive.
Great replacement for my Honda
G Clark, 09/12/2016
updated 09/20/2019
2006 Ford Focus ZXW SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful
Update: still ticking along. 115k. Needs suspension work, struts and bushings etc. Pricey but OK with it. Done with daily work commute. Only gripe is air/ventilation system controls often very stiff and balky. A pain when needing defrost but stuck directing warmth to feet. And, of course, all that buried beneath and behind the engine. Other than that, no worries. Believe it or not. Bought this car after my Honda wagon got smashed. I know its now 10 years old but has been a great car for the last 40K miles. Only major repair was alternator at 90K. It is NOT a cheap fix. I fit well into it, and I am 6'4". Much noisier than my Honda, but most of that is road noise and wagons are just noisier than sedans. My only major complaint is that mileage is below expectations. 26 mpg for city driving with lots of freeway. I can tow a 450 lb. trailer and still have 500 lbs of cargo capacity. I like the looks. I love the utility. The paint has held up well. I have used the integrated roof rack several times. Glad I had one. The center arm rest/storage bin is a cheap piece of junk and mine, like so many I’ve seen on other Focus cars, is broken, too. But the engine and drive train have held up well. Shocks are not very robust and need replacement at 92K . I plan to drive mine for many more miles. I really like this car and have same affection for it that I had for 2 Volvo wagons and one Honda wagon.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Extremely reliable
Marion A., 11/28/2016
2006 Ford Focus ZX4 SE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
I've owned my 2006 Focus for 4 yrs now. Bought it from a friend (he was the first owner) with 77k miles on it. It's now at 130k and still runs like a champ. Only major repairs I've had to invest in is changing out 2 of the engine mounts early on into me owning it (I blame my friend because he likes to push ANY car to its absolute limits. This is NOT the car for that) and changing the lower control arm on the driver's side (got hit by an out of control tire bouncing all over the highway). Other than that I do regular maintenance on my car and have my mechanic look it over every so often to catch anything that I might not notice. This car is absolutely perfect. I do have an aftermarket Bluetooth/Entertainment system installed so I can't say anything about the original system. And I do find it to be a teenie bit sluggish when going up a steep hill/highway (I have to floor it to stay above 55 mph) but that's not really much of a problem for me since I live in L.A. and we have pretty straight pavement here. Maneuvers well, accelarates/brakes well, great on gas, trunk space is pretty spacious. Overall, this car has been an absolute dream.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Original owner, bought new in 2006
Peter Buchwald Buchwald, 03/17/2017
2006 Ford Focus ZXW SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Has been a excellent inexpensive reliable basic auto.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Focus is practical and fun
Woody1, 03/20/2006
2006 Ford Focus ZX5 SES 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 5M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I drive mostly highway miles, so I wanted something that was responsive and comfortable with good gas mileage. I got it with the Focus. No problem driving to and from work. My Focus is equipped with the safety package (ABS & side airbags), as well as traction control. I also have a six CD stereo, which has a great sound. It's tough to find a car with all that for around $15,000 after the cash-back offers. I recommend this car.